


I don’t really wanna hide, not tonight

by caratsticks



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, M/M, Modern Royalty, Weddings, minor nohyuck, renjun crashes nomin’s wedding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-05-26 13:39:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15002042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caratsticks/pseuds/caratsticks
Summary: The boy stomps out, everyone’s whispering, some people are glaring at him, his face is completely covered so Jaemin has no idea who this mysterious boy is.He reaches up and takes his hat off, and Jaemin almost screams.





	I don’t really wanna hide, not tonight

“The suit is beautiful, made of burgundy velvet and adorned with all sorts of golden accents,” Jaemin only hums at Renjun’s description, he lets the older continue to brush his hair, preparing for it to be styled.

“It’s breathtaking, I know you’ll love it,” Renjun continues, and Jaemin lets himself drown in his quiet voice and the way his fingertips threaded through his brown locks.

“You’re breathtaking,” Jaemin notices the way Renjun’s breath hitched and the way his ears flushed red. Even after eight years, he still has the same effect on the boy

Renjun carefully yanks at his hair, giving him a playful scowl, “You’re getting married today, you can’t say these things anymore.”

Renjun expects Jaemin to give him a cheesy grin, to bat his eyelashes coyly like how he always does, but instead, he meets Renjun’s eyes in the mirror of his vanity and there’s a ferocity burning in them. It makes Renjun’s stomach churn and forces him to look away, because it makes him feel naked, like Jaemin was dissecting him with his mind and like his soul was displayed on a platter for him to see.

The room is soon enveloped in silence, the only sound filling the room being the sound of hair being brushed. It’s comfortable, yet there seems to be some unspoken tension hanging in the hair, and Renjun doesn’t know why.

“Remember when you first arrived at the palace? When you were only a measly little ten-year-old?” Jaemin’s deep voice startles Renjun out of the trance he was in. He smiles, because of course he remembers, how could he forget the day his entire life changed? And he tells Jaemin just that.

It forces a chuckle out of the prince, “You know what’s funny? Even back then, when you were a scrawny little kid, with your snaggletooth and black hair the stuck out in every direction possible, I thought you were beautiful,” Jaemin’s voice is laced with sincerity and Renjun’s heart does flips, and the butterflies in his stomach flutter.

They’re getting into dangerous waters now, lines that shouldn’t be crossed. Renjun knows it, yet he can’t seem to stop. Jaemin has always been a weakness to him, like a drug because he can never seem to get enough. Of his presence, of his scent, of everything about him.

The butterflies in his stomach are accompanied by dread, because Jaemin’s getting married in four hours, and as much as Renjun loves Jaemin and no matter how many compliments Jaemin gives him, it’s still going to happen.

So, Renjun changes the subject, he is the master of deflection after all, he hates confrontation and the numerous times Donghyuck calls him a coward won’t change that fact.

“Prince Jeno is quite handsome isn’t he?” Jaemin’s back immediately straightens and the look he shoots Renjun has him laughing.

“What am I? Cat food?” Jaemin whines in fake annoyance, pouting up at Renjun, who can only shoot him an amused glance, because he had entirely forgotten how easily jealous Jaemin could get.

“Of course, how could I forget? Little baby Jaemin needs to be showered all the time with compliments, you’re the most pretty, there, are you happy now?” He teases easily, finding delight at the way that Jaemin’s face turns red in both embarrassment and annoyance.

“You’re the worst, why do I even like you?” Jaemin huffs, crossing both his arms across his chest.

Unconsciously, Renjun leans forward, resting his head on Jaemin’s shoulder, “Because I’m irresistible.”

Jaemin turns his head slightly and his gaze flicker from Renjun’s face to his lips. His arms uncross and they rest on his lap. They shouldn’t be doing this, even when they were fourteen and curious, they knew, in the bottom of their hearts, that it wouldn’t work.

Someone knocks on the door and they immediately jump apart, Renjun turns around to tidy up and Jaemin yells a “Come in!”. Renjun pretends he doesn’t notice the way Jaemin’s voice wavers slightly. And Renjun pretends to ignore that his face feels like it’s on fire, that his heart is hammering against his chest, threatening to burst out if Renjun even thinks about letting it.

Donghyuck storms in, his voice as shrill as ever, “I really hope you two weren’t making out before I came in.”

Renjun shoots him the meanest glare he can muster, but it’s weak and holds no real heat, and Donghyuck knows it. He’s known the other boy for years now, they’ve been best friends since they were kids, there’s nothing he can hide, because to Donghyuck, Renjun’s always an open book.

Renjun spares a glance to Jaemin, who’s expression is unreadable, gaze focused on his lap. There’s a feeling of anxiousness that crawls up Renjun’s throat, because Jaemin is unpredictable and a lot of times he lets his emotions take control of his actions. His heart too big and too loving. Jaemin reminds him of a meteor, burning with passion and unstoppable, and he’s crashed into Renjun’s orbit, made his world tilt on its axis.

Donghyuck makes quite chatter with Jaemin and Renjun pays them no mind, he packs up his belongings and leaves the room. He ignores Donghyuck’s confused cries of his name and the concerned looks Jaemin shoots him.

He steps out and closes the door behind him, and releases a breath he didn’t even realize he was holding. He walks around the corridor down to the gardens. His mind is reeling with thousands of thoughts and he feels out of his element. Normally he’s in control and even-tempered. But Jaemin changes everything about him, he makes him feel alive, brave and brings out the best of him. Makes him feel like he could conquer the world.

H’es mindlessly wandering around the gardens when he bumps into Mark, Jeno’s brother.

“Shit, sorry!” Renjun apologizes profusely, rubbing at the sore spot on his forehead. Mark turns around in surprise, before he breaks into a bright grin.

“Renjun! How are you? How are the preparations going?” Renjun answers the questions to the best of his ablity, and tries not to display his obvious sadness at the situation, but to no avail, because Mark picks up on his mood almost immediately.

“Let’s go on a walk, follow me,” It’s more of a demand, though Mark’s tone is gentle, there’s something about Mark, he has a natural leadership to him. And Renjun oddly trusts him a lot, even though he’s only met him a few times.

They stroll around in silence, Renjun’s walked around these same few bushes one to many times, so the beauty factor has gone down significantly. Mark, on the other hand, marvels at the beautiful plants.

“You’re not very happy about this wedding, are you?” Renjun freezes and he looks up at Mark in shock, he knows for sure he hasn’t spoken to Mark about this before. Nor does he think he was being very obvious about his feelings. In the back of his mind, he wonders idly if Donghyuck has anything to do with this.

“I-I didn’t think I was being obvious.”

Mark chuckles and they sit down in a nearby bench, as they sit down he looks up to the clear blue sky and the few birds that are flapping around.

“You aren’t, I’m just observant.”

Renjun’s bullshit detector blares in his head alarmingly, and he already knows how Mark found out.

“Donghyuck told you, didn’t he?”

“Yup.”

Renjun curses Lee Donghyuck and his entire existence in his head, because curse him and his big fucking mouth that doesn’t know how to shut up.

Mark spares him an amusing glance, “You know, I don’t think Jeno would be too mad if you did something.”

Renjun looks at him in confusion, because the few times he’s seen Jeno and Jaemin interact, he thought Jeno was wholeheartedly in love with Jaemin, from the sideway glances full of fondness and affection, to hand that rests comfortably on Jaemin’s thigh or knee. He hates that there’s already a quick rising of hope inside him, he squashes down as quickly as he notices it.

Abruptly, Mark stands up and dusts his shirt off, “Just some food for thought, I’m gonna tell you now, Prince Jeno has eyes for someone else.”

And with that he dashes off, leaving a confused and very bewildered Renjun behind.

“Mark?! Come back, what do you mean! Mark!”

——————————-

 

Jaemin looks at himself in the reflection, picks up a strand of baby hair that’s strayed away from his perfectly styles hair, looks down at his suit and frowns.

Weddings are usually the happiest day of someone’s life, but for Jaemin it was the exact opposite. Here he was, aged eighteen, heir to the throne, being married to someone he doesn’t have feelings for in an arranged marriage.

Now, Jeno seems like a great guy, don’t get him wrong. They’re great friends and have been for a very long time, they’re parents being acquaintances even before they were born. So naturally, they were to get married.

But Jaemin doesn’t have feelings for Jeno beyond anything platonic, he might have, if a certain Huang Renjun wasn’t clouding his every thought and filling his mind.

Renjun had barged into his perfectly planned out life and flipped everything upside down, he made Jaemin feel alive, that maybe being prince was worth it. Renjun was the only reason why he hadn’t already run far away from the dreaded castle.

The realization that he needed to say something to the elder, something to convey how much he meant to him and how much he wholeheartedly adored him, hit him hard. So hard, that he was rushing out of room and asking whoever he could find for the location of the boy.

When no one gave him an answer, not even Donghyuck, who had looked at him confused and worried, he knew he had to take matters into his own hands.

“Renjun? Renjun, where are you?” Panic started to fill Jaemin’s veins, because where could he have gone? It’s his wedding for Christ sake, he’d like his best friend to be there.

Suddenly, he hears a ping! coming from his phone, taking it out of his suit pocket, he checks the newest notification, a text from Renjun. Furrowing his brows in confusion, he clicks on it.

Injunnie:  
don’t try to look for me, and don’t worry about anything, i’ll be there at the wedding just go

What the fuck? Renjun can’t seriously expect him not worry when he’s basically missing right now.

He doesn’t get any more time to dwell on it, because Donghyuck comes rushing up to him, “Come on, you have to go, the ceremony is starting.” He grabs his arm and drags him away.

Jaemin’s mind is racing because too many things are happening and too many people’s hands are on him, straightening his shirt, fixing his hair and just generally doing whatever to make sure he looks presentable, regal.

This is the royal wedding after all, it’s huge and has been the only thing people have been and will be talking about for weeks on end. If Jaemin looks even a tad bit horrible, even if a single strand of hair is out of place, his reputation could go down the drain and it could be horrible for his family.

And the next thing he knows he’s standing next to the alter, staring at the crowds of people that have attended and gives a small smile to the close family friends that have reserved seats at the front row.

He makes eye contact with Kun, someone he’s known since he was an infant and the closest thing he has to an older brother. Kun frowns at him, because he knows under the professional smiles and calm demeanor Jaemin puts on, he’s a nervous wreck and the thousands of worries he’s had over the past few weeks are threatening to spill over, Kun’s been on the receiving end of all his rants afterall.

But Jaemin doesn’t have time to dwell on it for too long, because the organ starts to play, and everyone stands up to wait for Jeno’s arrival. Jaemin takes this moment to scan the room properly, looking for a familiar head of brown hair, and when he doesn’t spot Renjun, he hopes that the look of dejection on his face isn’t too obvious. He sees a boy wearing a white baseball cap, which he deems as odd wedding attire, but he doesn’t pay it much mind.

And then Jeno’s walking in, his parents on the either side of him, Jaemin breaks into the first genuine grin since the ceremony has started. Jeno looks handsome, which isn’t surprising to Jaemin, because Jeno’s a good-looking guy and the way his hair is styled, in addition to the way that the baby blue of his suit compliments his skin, only adds to the fact.

Jeno takes his spot next to Jaemin and they share a look and a grin. They’re good friends, above the forced marriage that has been put upon them, and they share a lot of things that only each other can relate to. So Jaemin knows that Jeno is as ecstatic about the wedding as he is.

They hold hands and stare at each other as lovingly as they possibly can at each other, the press are at the wedding after all.

Jaemin drowns out the vows, they are the least interesting things in the world, he says what he needs to say, he’s lucky he’s a good enough actor.

“Speak now or forever hold your peace,” The priest says, and Jaemin’s eyes dart around the room, to watch out for any motion. The kingdom would be up in flames if anyone stopped the wedding, and as much as Jaemin doesn’t want to get married to Jeno, he also doesn’t want chaos in his kingdom.

In the corner of his eye he sees the boy with the cap move, but he dismisses it, thinking he was just adjusting himself, but then the boy is shooting up and shouting, “I object!”

Everyone arounds him gasps, and his own eyes widens and his mouth opens and closes like a fish. He looks at Jeno, who looks too suspiciously calm for someone who’s wedding just got crashed.

The boy stomps out, everyone’s whispering, some people are glaring at him, his face is completely covered so Jaemin has no idea who this mysterious boy is.

He reaches up and takes his hat off, and Jaemin almost screams.

It’s Renjun, who looks dead straight at him, with this determined look on his face as he strides up to the Prince. And Jaemin honest to god almost faints, because even though he knows the horror that will be the aftermath of this, he’s over the moon right now.

Renjun stops before him, some confidence leaves his body as he takes a deep breath, the following words that tumble out of his mouth, has Jaemin’s mouth running dry, the pace of his heart speeds up and his hands become clammy.

“Na Jaemin, when your family first took me in, when I was ten years-old and my parents had just died in a horrific accident,” Renjun pauses slightly, and Jaemin reaches out to take his hand, rubbing his thumb along his palm, he knows Renjun hates talking about his parents, and the fact that he’s talking about them in front of thousands of people, while he’s confessing his love to him, makes Jaemin’s heart flutter a little.

“I knew you would change my life, and I’m not going to lie, I thought I would be stuck with a snobby, spoiled brat, but you were the exact opposite. You were sweet, patient and so incredibly kind, if I were going to be honest with myself, I probably fell in love with you the first time we properly talked,” Jaemin starts to tear up, all these memories flooding to him. And he can see that Renjun is starting to cry too with the way his eyes shine, and how he’s starting to sniffle a little.

“Na Jaemin, I am so unbelievably in love with you, you changed me and you better me, and I don’t think I can put how much I love you into words, you are home to me, you managed to make me smile and laugh even on my worst days and there is honest to god, nothing I wouldn’t do for you, I love you so much.”

Jaemin is wholeheartedly sobbing now, he’s pretty sure the careful makeup Donghyuck had put on him has melted away by now, but he couldn’t care less, not when the most beautiful boy in the world was right in front of him and confessing his love to him.

“R-renjun,” he hiccups, tears streaming down his face, he reaches out and wraps his arms around the smaller boy, and Renjun hugs him back.

“I love you so much, I can’t even describe it, you make me so happy, you’re the most beautiful person I have ever met, inside and out. God, you are my world, my universe and you make me feel alive.” Renjun looks at him with so much love and fondness, it lights a fire in Jaemin’s heart and his entire body burns.

It urges him to kiss Renjun, in front of everyone, in front of the press, in front of his parents and the whole world melts away, he can feel Renjun and Renjun only. The feeling of his lips on his own, his scent, his everything. Renjun tastes like vanilla and the coffee he knew he drank this morning and Jaemin can’t seem to get enough.

He pulls Renjun in closer by his waist, his hand moves to rest on his back and Renjun’s own hand flies up to grab onto his hair. The kiss is getting deeper and before they start to full on make out, Renjun pulls away.

If Jaemin thought Renjun was beautiful before, he’s stunning with swollen lips, flushed cheeks and bright doe eyes. Jaemin’s heart swells.

Suddenly, someone shouts and they’re brought back to reality, some old white lady screeches at Renjun to go away and go to hell, she’s already starting to stand up and Jaemin can already tell what she’s trying to do. Jaemin grips onto Renjun’s hand harder.

Jaemin doesn’t remember much of what happens next, he remembers seeing Mark and Donghyuck running up, shielding them while yelling, “Go! Go! Go!” He remembers Kun guiding them out of the hall, he remembers dragging Renjun and sprinting, without looking back because he knows there’s no point. He remembers feeling out of breath and tired from running, but he remembers feeling ecstatic, the adrenaline pumping through his veins.

They stop, after what feels like hours, Jaemin’s legs are tired and they feel like they’re about to turn into jelly. He notices he doesn’t really know where they are, Kun having stopped running right after they left the hall. He looks around, they seem like they’re at a park of some sort.

Renjun’s sat on the ground, trying to catch his breath, and Jaemin sits down in front of him. When he’s done panting, Renjun looks at him with a sly grin.

“That was pretty cool, huh?”

Jaemin really does love this boy, “It was, I can’t believe you did that, you’re so brave. Half the kingdom’s going to be after your head.”

Renjun shrugs, “They can’t hurt me, I live in the castle, and with the way you kissed me,” Jaemin blushes all the way to his neck, “I think they get the message that I’m not going anywhere.”

Jaemin turns around and lies on his back, enjoys the warmth that the sun gives him even though he knows the dirt will ruin his suit and the material is way too hot for the weather outside. Renjun flops down next to him and intertwines their hands.

“Wait,” Jaemin sits up suddenly, and Renjun looks at him curiously, “That still doesn’t explain why Jeno didn’t do anything.”

Renjun bursts out in laughter, and Jaemin is only slightly offended, he doesn’t know what’s so funny.

“Did you really not notice?” Renjun says in between chuckles, “Jeno is like in love with Donghyuck.”

It takes a few seconds for Jaemin to process these words, before he’s screaming, “What! Since when?!”

This sends Renjun into another round of giggles, and it takes longer for him to compose himself and Jaemin just pouts at him.

Renjun coos and pinches his cheeks, “Stop pouting you big baby.”

Jaemin grins, and the witty remark dies on his tongue, he stares at Renjun, who’s cheeks are still flushed from the running and now from the laughing, who’s hair is now mussed and Jaemin falls a little bit more in love with the boy that’s holds the stars in his eyes.

“I love you.”

Renjun jumps at the sudden confession, but soon his expression turns soft and affection, he grabs Jaemin’s face and gives him a small peck, “I love you too.”

Jaemin knows there will be hell to pay when they trudge back to the castle, they sadly have consequences to face, but honestly, he finds himself not caring, not when Renjun’s next to him, not when he knows that everything will be alright as long as he’s there, by his side.

**Author's Note:**

> this is un-betaed im sorry for any mistakes i hope u like it i love renmin a lot 
> 
> twt: starryflx come talk to me losers


End file.
